Remote controlled shoulder puppets

Fun & Games Wearables
Remote controlled shoulder puppets
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My significant other was recently given one of these Woodbaby shoulder puppets by a friend of hers who frequents renaissance faires, where the Woodbaby is apparently a popular commodity. The puppet features a strong magnet in its base that mates with a curved metal plate that goes under your clothing and keeps the figure firmly perched on your shoulder. The mechanical control cable (which, per this thread discussing a DIY version, is an R/C airplane control surface push-rod) runs to a simple controller that can be concealed in a pocket and manipulated to make the figure look around in a surprisingly life-like manner. More elaborate versions have additional controls like wings and blinking, light-up eyes. Flickr user JeffreyWiden made his own. Would be cool to see an electronic version with a wireless controller.

2 thoughts on “Remote controlled shoulder puppets

  1. falnfenix says:

    i have a corset sitter (it sits in the laces of a corset), and i’d LOVE to see someone automate its movements. sadly, i’m just not good enough with electronics to do that.

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I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

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